The present invention relates to a method of operation in a still video camera system comprising a still video camera in which a still video signal representing an objective image produced by means of a solid-state imaging element is recorded on a predetermined track or in two predetermined tracks of a rotating magnetic recording medium having a plurality of tracks and a playback device or apparatus capable of being connected to the still video camera for reproducing a signal read from the predetermined track or the two predetermined tracks. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of operation to effect a backup operation of track information detected by the playback device and to a method of operation to use for a playback operation of the playback device for the track information employed in a recording operation of the camera.
A still video signal attained through a shooting operation by use of a still video camera undergoes a frequency modulation (FM) so as to be recorded on a predetermined track or on two predetermined tracks of a magnetic recording medium. In a field recording mode, still video signals representing a frame of an image are recorded on a track. Whereas, in a frame recording mode, the still video signals are recorded on two tracks. On the magnetic recording medium, data called ID data is duplicatedly recorded. The ID data includes data items such as a data item indicating the field recording or the frame recording mode and a track number (No).
When the playback device reads for a playback processing the still video signal recorded on the magnetic recording medium, the ID data duplicatedly recorded thereon is first read out so as to be demodulated such that the field image or the frame image is determined depending on the attained data, thereby controlling the playback processing of the video signals. The operations to read and to demodulate the ID data are accomplished for each playback operation of a still picture.
For a picture previously reproduced, the ID data demodulated in the playback operation may be saved for the subsequent playback processing, which enables the playback processing speed to be increased.
Alternatively, since the ID data is known when a still video signal is recorded in the camera, this ID data may be supplied to the playback device, so that the playback processing is effected at a high speed by use of the supplied ID data without demodulating the ID data in the playback device.